01.26.2010 -- Poeme

il y avait un jour
quand le future
était vague et nuaguex
peut-etre meme dangereux
et il ne me faisait rien

maintenant
le future est le lieu
ou mes enfants grandissent
et çela fait tout la différence

etre mére, maman
c'est une promotion
impossible

je n'ai qu'une seule contrepoids:
mon coeur
transformé
devenu tout-puissant
féroce
et tout-capable
avec la connaissance
de ces enfants

ces enfants de moi


(Je me compte bénie car j'ai des amis qui me démandent a écrire. Merci et voila!)

01.25.2010 -- Nothing to Post

Ah, me.

I have nothing to post really.

Just a few snippets:

When I'm occupied lately--cooking dinner, for example, or working on a project--Gabe occupies himself by emptying drawers and cupboards, occasionally playing with 'toys.' After a while, he likes to get my attention by shoving himself at my legs. Once he's in my arms, he kisses me several times and grins at me.

Lucy loved her daddy's idea of taking a walk tonight in the big stroller. They put two sleeping bags in the stroller then Lucy and Gabe cocooned for the walk in the cold and dark. Unfortunately, Gabe hated it. They came home shortly (hate to say it, but I had a feeling they wouldn't get far), then went for a ride in the car.

Lucy wanted to sleep in the sleeping bag, so we just set it on her bed. The thought of her snuggled up in that bag right now just makes ME grin.

01.16.2010 -- Lucy's Post

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DBBXBS3XSSGFH,G GBHCHGYHR4IR6
RRHHDJDFVJJRG5TRT4JGTJKHKMMMMMFFFFF
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HORSESHOES
SPARKLE DIAMOND LUCY
LUCY TATUM TAYLER

01.14.2010 -- Favorite Adults and Winning Strategies

Mr. Esquith at work. You should read his book.

I've been reading a book I got a while back called, "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" by Rafe Esquith. (Highly recommended.) Like most books I read, this one has gotten under my skin and it has been leaking into my life. Full disclosure, though: I'm quite taken with this guy, Rafe. For one thing, one of his mantras seems to be: "There are no shortcuts." This, in all seriousness, is maybe my first ever BIG REALIZATION in life. I think I realized this for myself in about 8th grade. I don't know if I've ever heard anyone else ever even say this. Anyway, as I was sorting laundry this morning with Lucy, I decided to try to work in a lesson about the levels of moral development and motivation.

"So Lucy," I say--casually. "What do you think is better: Being nice so you won't get in trouble, or being nice because you want to be a nice person?"

"Yeah. It's good to be nice. So we won't get in trouble..."

Fail.

I tried again, a few different times on this tack then switched. I thought I would get her thinking about admirable character traits and we could discuss them a little. "Hey, who are some of your favorite grown-ups?" This question to be followed-up with, "Why?"

With no hesitation whatsoever, Lucy answers, "You and Daddy." A couple more attempts at asking the same question yielded the same answer. I couldn't ask her why.

She is so sweet.

And Gabe.

Gabe is a machine. He eats. I am a machine. I feed him and change his diaper. He has come to protest any efforts to get him to sleep. The one place he will sleep without a fight (and I do mean a fight), is his carseat.

Today, I stopped fighting. I put him in his carseat (car in the garage) and let him have his nap while I worked on the laundry. When he woke up, I loaded Lucy into the car and set out on our library outing. (Thank you, Mary Poppins.) Tonight, instead of trying to bear Gabe's protestations, I took him straight to the carseat. He was sleeping withing a minute without complaint. I read my book in the front seat until he was deep enough to transfer him.

Win! I feel like a genius. I have truly been at the end of my rope trying to get him to sleep lately. Nothing has worked. He's been sick and teething (four molars at once), so I can't blame him.

Recent Pictures

01.08.2010 -- Mix Tape of Love

My friend, Christy, had a contest to see who made the best "mix tape" of LOVE. Here were her rules:

1) Mix Tapes must be submitted to me in the form of a CD (I know... seems wrong to call it a tape) via hand delivery or mail.
2) MToL entries must have a minimum of 10 songs and a maximum of 20 songs.
3) The first half of the MToL must contain super cheesy, cliche love songs that you are embarassed to admit you love. The second half of the MToL must contain really amazing, rad love songs- the kind that you listen to on repeat for hours on end.
4) Entries must include a playlist including song names and artists.
5) Entries must be received by December 1st. That gives you one month, people.
6) Points will be given to cheesy love songs that make me laugh. Points will be given to amazing love songs that make me hit repeat. Points will also be granted based on originality and creativity.
7) The Winner will be declared... as soon as I listen to all the CDs (depending on how many entries there are... you know, like if all 1 of you who still read this blog want to enter).
8) All playlists will be posted here when the winner is announced.
9) The Winner will receive, um, something really cool. Like an iTunes gift card. All entries will receive some sort of prize (though it probably won't be as cool as a gift card).

Good idea, right? I love the whole spirit of her. That was going to be the start of a new sentence but I decided it could stand on it's own. I love Christy's spirit and the spirit of her contest. To me it was an offering to LOVE. And let's face it. I am a fan, a major supporter.

Guess what? Against all odds, I won!!! (Special thanks to one former Jason Dale--you know why.)

Here is the winning playlist:

When I See You Smile 4:18 Bad English Bad English
Lovin' You 3:27 Minnie Riperton 7" Single
I'd Love You to Want Me 4:06 Lobo The Best Of Lobo
Do That To Me One More Time 3:51 Captain and Tennille Make Your Move
Everything I Own 3:11 Bread Best of Bread
Somebody 4:27 Depeche Mode Some Great Reward
Take My Breath Away 4:13 Berlin Top Gun Soundtrack
The One That You Love 4:20 Air Supply Greatest Hits
True Companion 4:11 Marc Cohn Marc Cohn
She's Got a Way 3:03 Billy Joel Songs in the Attic
In The Dark With You 3:42 Greg Brown In The Dark With You
Gotta Have You 3:24 The Weepies Say I Am You
Hesitating Beauty 3:06 Billy Bragg and Wilco Mermaid Avenue
You Are the Best Thing 3:52 Ray LaMontagne Gossip In the Grain
Have a Little Faith 3:54 Michael Franti & Spearhead All Rebel Rockers
Lay Lady Lay 3:21 Pete Drake Pete Drake
Kathy's Song 3:21 Simon & Garfunkel Sounds of Silence
Chariot 3:42 Page France Hello, Dear Wind

Want a CD? As a faithful reader of this blog, I am offering you one. Just e-mail me at valerie.tayler@gmail.com with your address and I will send you your very own copy of this winning mix. I will send internationally.

And now for my retrospective musings: I totally forgot to send a playlist to Christy with my entry. I am lucky that she is a forgiving soul. AND, if I were any kind of competitor, I would have posted this when Christy was actually having her contest so you could have made her a mix tape of love. Oh well.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Hap!